Field Trip

Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, PA would be my dream field trip for this Thanksgiving weekend. I have never been, but recently read an interesting article in Landscape Architecture Magazine about the planted walls of monkey grass in one of of the pavilions. Check out their website at www.longwoodgardens.org to be equally impressed by their photos and upcoming events. The upcoming Bruce Munro light installation looks fantastic.

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mish

Ages ago, I worked in the sculpture department at Sotheby's in NYC. During my stint, I became familiar with the talented alumni of the company. These were noted graduates that had tested their entrepreneurial skills and started business for themselves. Among them was the now revered jeweler MISH.

Recently, he open a salon in NOHO to display the tentacles of his swelling business. I love the reception room wall, a hand painted wood veneer by Uriu Studios. In the heart of the city, you can be at one with nature.

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exchange of wows

With all the buzz over Miami's Art Basel I began to think of the great architectural jewels in South Beach. My fav is the Herzog & de Meuron parking garage and retail complex. It is just so stunning that many choose to get married on site.
Visit www.1111lincolnroad.com to see it's clever marriage of in and outdoor space.


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Ryoan-jeans

Calypso's new location on New York City's Upper East Side affords the retailer exponentially more square footage than their previous Madison Avenue digs. Silk and denim garments are displayed in a bohemian-style laze that cocoon a lounge area to tame restless male shopping companions. In my opinion, the best feature to this new and generous footprint was the hidden courtyard tucked off the boutique's backside.


Mirrors, a clutch of garden stools and ornamental furnishings were thoughtfully arranged within a room draped with a white blousey shell. Locked behind double glass doors, the courtyard reminded me of Ryoan-ji, a famous Japanese viewing garden that is meant to be enjoyed from points beyond the physical site.
It is such a thumb to Manhattan's economy of space, I think the Calypso courtyard is sheer brilliance.

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Planting

I consider Terence Conran's Planting to be the visual bible of garden design. I’ll bring it to sites and it is swooned over because of the fabulous photo montages and truly original planting concepts. Emanating from Europe, it’s content has been largely unpublished in the United States which makes it just so covetable. In my opinion, this is the most luxurious plant manual, offering fabulous inspiration conveyed through its generous scale and insane photos. It leaves Dirr in the dust.

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Natural Selection

John Houshmand is a fabulous furniture designer who relies on nature to coax his creations. Wood, glass, metal and acrylic are the materials he draws from to create truly interesting household artifacts. My fav is this smooth poured aluminum tabletop supported by rough wood stilts. Visit www.johnhoushmand.com for his full portfolio of perfection.

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Cheap Thrills

The L'Occitane boutique on New York City's Upper East Side is a sweet escape from the stringent big box stockists. Their products bring instant levity to any "Groundhog Day" morning routine.
The Sun Verbena Protective Lotion SPF 15 is perfect for the Fall and Winter months and a great gift idea for the outdoor enthusiast. It has a smudge of protection and scent that not even Egyptian Magic can rival and it's braille inspired packaging can be found with just one eye open.

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